Homepage Image Reference: June 2009
June 1 People and the elements have carved this volcanic landscape into a maze of fairy chimneys and cave dwellings. There's no other place like it One of the best ways to see this ancient, surreal landscape is by hot air balloon. Give it a try Shepherds in this country bred dogs large and strong enough to protect flocks from wolves, jackals, and cheetahs. Watch the Anatolia Shepherds in action People first established communities here almost ten thousand years ago, and have been going strong ever since. Where is it? June 2 This country has one of the oldest standing armies in Western Europe, established around 1600. You don't normally think of them as a nation The world's first asset-inflation bubble was born here in the 1600s. They call it Tulip Mania While the Netherlands has long been known for its clogs, windmills, and tulips, it's more recently famous for its street art. Meet the Lastplak Collective Windmills are an essential part of the Dutch landscape, and have helped to make the country what it is today. See the land that windmills built June 3 Park rangers use dogsleds to patrol this vast wilderness during the winter months. Meet a world champion dogsledder Minerals stain the mountains with rainbow hues here in the Polychrome Pass. See more multicolored mountains At just over 2 million acres, this wilderness area is larger than the state of Massachusetts. Much of it is inaccessible by road This national park is home to the highest mountain on the North American continent. Where is it? June 4 You can only see this remote area for yourself by traveling on train, ferry, or walking trail. Or you could look at pictures There's so much to see in this ancient, lovely country, it's hard to decide what to see first. This guy can help you with that Five villages comprise this part of the Mediterranean, carefully terraced into the cliffs. It's inaccesible by car This region is famous for its pesto, its focaccia, and its grappa. Where can you find this paradise? June 5 This watery nation is home to Buddhist temples, coral reefs, floating markets, and so much more. See Thailand for yourself Foodies in Thailand flock to the Damnoen Saduak floating market for the freshest produce around. What else happens in Thailand? Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonized by a European power. Tour the land of the free King Rama IV ordered the construction of a 32 km-long canal in 1866, which soon became home to this famous floating market. Where is it? June 6 On this day in 1944, Allied Forces stormed the beaches at Normandy. It was a terrible battle Every war makes an indelible impression on the people involved, and World War II is no exception. Watch and learn more Over 2,000 Americans died here on this day in 1944. Learn how and why It's hard to look at this beautiful beach today and imagine the violence of the D-Day invasion. See how it all happened June 7 This country is still beautiful despite centuries of invaders, plagues, and religious strife. The last revolution was the Velvet Revolution Some call this place “the city of 100 spires,” and some call it “the golden city.” Watch the city unfold What does a 1,000-year-old city look like? Find out This ancient square has been the heart of the city since the 10th century.Where is it? June 8 Residents and tourists alike come to the River Walk to cool off on the banks of the San Antonio River. The margaritas are divine The River Walk isn't the only place Texans go to keep cool on blisteringly hot summer days. See one of their best water holes Some call this city the heart of Tejano culture in the United States. Watch one of Tejano's most famous stars This picturesque city was the site of one of the great battles of the Texas Revolution. Remember the Alamo! June 9 This city is known as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. They also call it the Athens of the middle ages Julius Caesar established this magnificent city as a settlement for his veteran soldiers in 59 BC. It's come a long way Niccolò Machiavelli played politics here in the early 1500s, and his name is associated with political sneakiness to this day. See where the term "machivellian" came from Some think the Piazza della Signoria is the political hub of this ancient, vibrant city. See it for yourself June 10 This city is famous for its wine, its cuisine, its architecture, and its work ethic. See what the fuss is about This is the nation that brings the world the wonder of Port wine. Watch and learn more The world's oldest military alliance was first formalized here in 1387. What else happened in this city? Some call this place the City of Bridges. Where is it? June 11 17 kinds of sea snake, 1,500 kinds of fish, 7 kinds of sea turtles, 400 kinds of coral, 5,000 kinds of mollusks. See what lives in the Great Barrier Reef On this day in 1770, Captain James Cook became the first European to see the Great Barrier Reef. He wrecked his ship on it Australia's Great Barrier Reef is one of the world's most popular destinations for snorkelers and scuba divers. Watch and learn why The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest single structure made by living organisms. You can see it from space June 12 These days Vegas casinos are famous for more than gambling. Their entertainers are world-class, too Certain folks think of one thing when they think of Las Vegas: Knucklehead Zoo As seen from space, this city is the brightest metropolitan area on Earth. Aliens will probably invade here first What does Las Vegas look like? That depends on which casino you're at June 13 This booming metropolis is one of the only major U.S. cities founded by a woman. She did a pretty good job Tropical climate + glamorous, diverse population + money = Perfect for TV shows. Ready to solve some crimes? Forbes Magazine ranked this city America's Cleanest in 2008. See more of America's cleanest city This city's proximity to Cuba has made it a natural home for thousands of Cubans in exile. Its beaches make it a natural home for sunbathers June 14 The stars represent the 50 states and the stripes represent the original 13 rebellious colonies. Learn more about the American flag The Star-Spangled Banner flew over Baltimore Harbor during the Battle of 1812 and is housed at the Smithsonian Institution today. It's getting a little work done right now On this day in 1916 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 as the official date for Flag Day. Learn more about Flag Day This building began life as a train station, but now it houses a museum, a library, and a movie theater. Want to see it from the outside? June 15 This massive mountain range spans seven countries and is host to innumerable resorts and tourist attractions. Which mountain range is it? What does one of the world's most famous mountain ranges look like? Short answer, really pretty Skiing, chocolate, watches, good design—this little country packs quite a wallop. Watch it in action Sometimes it's hard to appreciate how big the Swiss Alps are. Check the map and see for yourself June 16 This nation has long had a reputation for independence and intelligence. And for good meatballs Many people think this is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. What do you think? People have been talking about the good looks of this country's citizens since the 8th century AD. Watch one of its most famous beauties Founded in the 13th century, this city has had a lot of time to grow into a maze of winding streets and alleyways. A good map always helps June 17 This place is one of the world's oldest democracies and youngest landmasses. It has at least 200 volcanoes Watch some of this country's most popular musical talents at work. Besides Björk These little houses have been sheltering people from wind and snow since the 13th century. See the rest of the neighborhood Combine lava flows with glaciers, sheer cliffs with gushing geysers, puffins with ponies, and what do you get? Find out June 18 Aerosmith is one of this city's most famous musical groups. Amanda Palmer is one of its prettiest Home to the nation's first public library, first college, and first subway system… Can you guess what city this is? This city's rebellious residents fought the first battles of the American Revolution. city's rebellious residents fought the first battles of the American Revolution. They would hardly recognize it today The Puritans called it their "shining city on a hill," and some know it today as the "Athens of America." Where is it? June 19 From the top of Steptoe Butte, you can see 200 miles of hypnotic, rolling hills. The hills soon give way to mountains You'd never guess that these idyllic hills were the scene of the Yakima Indian Wars in 1855. The wars changed everything One of Washington's largest waterfalls is a hop, skip, and a jump away from this pastoral wonderland. Watch it do its thing All this natural beauty can make a person awfully hungry and thirsty. Where's the nearest restaurant? June 20 Meet a band of musicians who trained from childhood to play this country's traditional music. The hard work pays off The U.S. signed a friendship treaty with this nation in 1786, and it's never been broken. Learn about our old friends One of the most famous love stories of the 20th century took place here during World War II. Here's looking at you, kid People often use the phrase “sensory overload” when describing this exotic land. Where is it? June 21 "Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope." —Bill Cosby Learn more about Father's Day Want to see more lion cubs? Yeah, you do How do fathers and sons on the savannah express their feelings for one another? Through the power of song Fathers live everywhere, but lions only live in a few places. See the place these lions call home June 22 This is the most famous landmark of one of the biggest, most expensive cities in the world. What city is it? The world's smallest continent is also megadiverse — it harbors a majority of the Earth's species. Tour this wild wonderland Contestants around the nation sing for a trio of snarky judges, each hoping to perform here as the first-place winner. Sound familiar? Danish architect Jørn Utzon designed this extraordinary building in 1957. It still looks pretty good June 23 This nation was the first in the world to grant all women the right to vote. What enlightened land is this? Astonishing beauty is one hallmark of this place. These two guys are another This country is a nuclear-free zone — no nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships may dock in its ports. See what a nuclear-free zone looks like You are looking at one of the most remote areas of one of the most remote nations in the entire world. Where is it? June 24 This is one of only seven land crossings of the Colorado River for 750 miles. Cross while the crossing's good This bridge is a landmark at one of the first national parks in the United States. What park is it? "One cannot realize the enormity of it…'til he has crawled like a maimed insect at its base and looked…upward to the…sky." —John Stoddard Meet the Grand Canyon It's a lot trickier to travel between Arizona and Utah than you might think. See one of the more dramatic ways June 25 Charles de Gaulle once asked, "How can you govern a country in which there are 246 kinds of cheese?" He should have been a cook Some varieties are aged for up to seven years before they're ready for market. That's a good-a cheese This part of the world is seven meters below sea level at its lowest point. There are windmills involved This market is one of only four traditional Dutch cheese markets still in operation. Where is it? June 26 Take a good look at these falls and imagine going over them in a barrel. Would you do it? Marilyn Monroe caused a spike in tourist attendance here in 1953. All because of this movie This has been a prime destination for newlyweds and daredevils for over a century. There's a metaphor in there somewhere The U.S. and Canada have shared this natural wonder in peace for centuries. Where is it? June 27 These guys wouldn't be surfing today if it weren't for Duke. His first boards weighed up to 114 pounds Don't like to surf alone? Try it with a partner Surfing's not as much fun when the ocean is full of junk. The Surfrider Foundation says it best Looking for waves like this one? You can find them here June 28 Don't look now, but there may be thousands of these little land mines in your sinus cavities. Don't panic, you have options The closer you look at something, the stranger it gets. Back up and look again The sun is out, the flowers are in full bloom, and you can't stop sneezing and blowing your nose. Welcome to allergy season! Your body will move to flush this little guy out of your system faster than you can say "seasonal allergies." What else can your body do? June 29 If you think Japanese amusement parks are crazy, you should check out their game shows. Most Extreme Elimination Challenge Ride a roller coaster past the world's largest clock (also a Ferris wheel) and into the depths of the city. Only one place on Earth Curious about Japanese culture, but don't know where to start? Let the BBC help you This jaw-dropping roller coaster sits right next door to one of the world's largest Ferris wheels. Where is it? June 30 People used to think these strange animals would envelop pearl divers and eat them. That's just not true These curious creatures are gentle, sociable, and playful. Watch them swim It's an amazing experience to touch them, but it's easy to damage their sensitive skin. Learn about the giant manta ray Want to swim with giant manta rays? Get ready for a long trip + Source: Bing Image Archive See Also: Bing Homepage Image Gallery (2009) Category:Homepage Image Reference